I’ve had a promo copy of Sigur Rós’ Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust sitting on my desk here for a week or two. I’d give it a listen when the time was right, I figured—that time being a slow, drowsy, big-sky’d, beautiful night. The later the better. Maybe on drugs. Full of wanderlust. Surrounded by swirling amour. Listless.

You see, Sigur Rós’ debut, Ágætis Byrjun has occupied this distinct real-estate in my head and heart for years. It’s a place I only visit at certain times—usually while deeply effervescent and in love, a honeymoon-type of period. Soft sheets and wind flowing through the curtains, lit by the moonlight. In between alert and dreams.

So I figured I’d get around to Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. It was more of that grandiose, dream music, I assumed. But goddamn—while the new album is still grandiose, dreamy and swirling like a mainline of magic realism, this thing is daytime summer sunshine.

It’s ridiculous and great—Sigur Rós downbeat whomping on floor-toms! Chords whipping back and forth! My God!

The Miraculous Single: “gobbledigook”

The album comes out today, and more fitting weather to greet these sounds there could not be.